McQuaid has no place in cycling, claims Hamilton

Wednesday 24 October 2012

Tyler Hamilton has called on Pat McQuaid to step down as president of the International Cycling Union.

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McQuaid yesterday branded Hamilton and Floyd Landis as "scumbags" and accused them of trying to be heroes. Both testified against Lance Armstrong, having previously been disgraced by failed drug tests.

Hamilton's response came after World Anti-Doping Agency chief John Fahey said officials in charge of the sport at the time of the Armstrong affair had to take some of the responsibility.

McQuaid did not take over as UCI president until after Armstrong won the last of seven Tour de France titles, but his comments about Hamilton have provoked an angry response.On Monday, the UCI ratified the sanctions recommended by the United States Anti-Doping Agency, who concluded Armstrong and his United States Postal Service team ran "the most sophisticated, professionalised and successful doping programme that sport has ever seen".Armstrong was banned for life and all his results from August 1, 1998 removed, including his wins at the Tour from 1999 to 2005.The UCI management committee will meet on Friday to discuss the "exact sporting consequences" of the decision, including whether the titles and prize money will be redistributed.However, McQuaid's comments about Hamilton have led to the rider issuing a statement in which he said: "Pat McQuaid's comments expose the hypocrisy of his leadership. Instead of seizing an opportunity to instil hope for the next generation of cyclists, he continues to point fingers, shift blame and attack those who speak out, tactics that are no longer effective. Pat McQuaid has no place in cycling."McQuaid said: "Another thing that annoys me is that Landis and Hamilton are being made out to be heroes. They are not heroes, they are scumbags. All they have done is damage the sport."McQuaid, UCI president since 2006, rejected calls for his resignation over perceived failures by the world governing body over the Armstrong affair.McQuaid insisted the UCI has "nothing to hide" over a donation of more than $100,000 (£62,000) made by Armstrong in 2002, denying it was connected to any cover-up of a positive test."Don't try to make connections between the suspicious test and the donation. There were no positive tests from him," said McQuaid. "It's certainly not a resignation issue."Fahey yesterday claimed the sport would only regain credibility when the senior officials on watch take responsibility for the scandal.Fahey said: "They have to take the blinkers off, look at the past, examine the people who are there, ask themselves the questions: 'Are those same people still in the sport and can they proceed forward with those people remaining?'"I don't think there's any credibility if they don't do that and I think they need to get confidence back into the sport so that its millions of supporters around the world will watch and support the sport going forward."Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme believes the race must not have a victor in the Armstrong years. He said: "The formal decision has to be taken by the UCI but for us, we must have a clean record. This period must be marked by the absence of winners."The UCI rules are clear. When a rider is disqualified, he must pay the prize money back."

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McQuaid has no place in cycling, claims Hamilton

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